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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · racket · cell · perch · current · patient · ruler · key

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — in biology
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ground — crushed
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. perch — the fish
  11. current — electric
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ground — the earth
  15. cell — a phone
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. key — in music
  20. current — happening now
  21. key — the most important part
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. key — for a lock
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com